The Life and Times of Lightningclaw
by Lightningclaw
Summary: Lightningclaw is a regular warrior. He doesn't have super powers or a prophecy. He can't even follow the emotions of a she-cat. But he managed to be a hero all the same. Rated T for blood. Read&Review
1. A Kit's Story

Author's Note: Before this wondrous story begins, you're going to need some descriptions.

Lightningkit: White tom with a yellow streak down his spine

Skykit: Gray she cat with white splotches

Goldenkit: Golden tom

Shorekit: Tan tom

Yellowkit: Tan she-cat

Streamfur: Silver she-cat

Aquatail: Blue gray she-cat

Sandstar- Tan Tom

Ripfur: Gray, thick furred tom

Pearheart: Light orange she-cat

Aurorakit-White she-cat with orange splotches

Razorkit: White tom with black splotches

On with the story!

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><p>Disclaimer: I do not own warriors and I won't be collecting the billions of the dollars this story would make as a book *tear*<p>

Lightningkit opened his eyes to the rocky ceiling of the nursery. He immediately smelled the milky scent of his mother as he slowly got up. He could feel his siblings curled up beside hm. He looked at the opening of the cave to see the dawn of a new day. His little mouth opened wide as he yawned in half tiredness and half boredom. In his 3 moons of life, Lightningkit found that he always woke up earlier than most cats. He was annoyed by this, waiting for hours until he could start doing anything that mattered to him. He put his head in his paws, watching the sunrise.

He saw the dawn patrol head out and come back, the deputy wake up and start ordering a Hunting Patrol, said Hunting Patrol coming back and adding to the Fresh-kill pile and the apprentices going to the Elder's den with mouse bile before he felt his siblings wake up. Skykit, his sister, raised her head and looked at him blearily.

"What are you doing?" She mewed, yawning as she traced his eyes to where he was watching.

"Watching the day start." He stated simply. Skykit gave him a look as though he was crazy, started to say something, gave up and nudged Goldenkit, their brother, awake. He immediately nudged their mother awake. This spread around until everyone in the nursery was awake, most of them irritable in the morning. Lightningkit watched as Mother went to get a squirrel from the fresh-kill pile. She gently laid it down on the ground for them. He heard Skykit sigh. Their mother, Streamfur, was trying (unsuccessfully) to wean them. Lightningkit was the only one to rise towards it. Skykit and Goldenkit complained to their mother.

"Why can't we just get our milk from you? This way, you know where it comes from. That squirrel could be from anywhere." Goldenkit mused. Lightningkit snorted as he ate some of the squirrel. "That squirrel could have jumped into a pile of dirt somewhere."

Lightningkit threw up a little in his mouth. "Someone is actually eating this squirrel and I would not like to throw it up!" Lightningkit said indignantly. Goldenkit suddenly pounced on Lightningkit.

"Oh yeah? Well too bad. You have to throw it up under the rule of Goldenstar! We will never be weaned! " He bellowed.

"Not if the warrior Skystorm has anything to do about it!" Skykit grabbed Goldenkit away from him as he stood up and jumped at Goldenkit as well, squirrel forgotten. Goldenkit grabbed Skykit by the scruff of her neck and threw her at Lightningkit, who jumped over her to Goldenkit as a full play battle set in motion.

Streamfur sighed and started eating the discarded squirrel herself, which was now thoroughly trampled.

She turned towards toward Aquatail, another mother in the nursery, as her two kits, Yellowkit and Shorekit, joined Goldenkit's side of the battle.

"Kits, they say their wonderful, but once you have them they seem like little beings sent to destroy us."

Hearing this, the kits promptly sent out on a joint expedition to destroy Streamfur. Streamfur suddenly had kits on her tail, head, torso and paw. She shook her head slowly in exasperation to Aquatail, kits flying left and right as she did so.

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><p>Thymepaw, the medicine cat apprentice, came in at noon to give Pearheart, who was pregnant, her medicine. She gave her herbs that were supposed to support the kits, blah, blah, blah. Lightningkit automatically huddled all the kits together to hatch a plan. He often did this, because whenever anyone else made a plan they got into trouble.<p>

"Here is what we're going to do. Goldenkit, you go and pounce on her tail. Yellowkit, you go and distract Streamfur and Aquatail," She gave an "ah!" at this, but Lightningkit kept on going." Shorekit, Skykit and I will jump at her as she turns and knock her down and then we will all swarm her."

The kits nodded and Yellowkit went and started coughing very dramatically in front of the mothers, who immediately fretted over her. Goldenkit then stealthily snuck around them to Thymepaw who was looking at the herbs she had so she could see if she had anything for coughs. Thymepaw suddenly shrieked as he got her tail. Lightning kit then led the charge as the jumped on her, knocking her to the ground. Yellowkit dodged the mothers and jumped onto the dogpile (catpile?)as the mothers tried to pull them off. Thymepaw laughed as the kits swarmed over her. She loved kits and regularly visited them and had usually been in the past attacked. She kept right on laughing as the mothers finally pulled their kits off her and feverishly apologized for the kits.

"It's fine. I love kits and their playfulness." She mewed in a singsong voice. She said good bye as they heard Sandstar call a clan meeting. "Let all those cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Leader's den for a clan meeting."

The kits peaked out of the nursery. " Look at it, a warrior ceremony!" mewed Shorekit, his eyes twinkling.

"Wavestorm, are you satisfied that this apprentice is ready to become a warrior of Riverclan?"

Wavestorm dipped his head. "She is." He mewed.

"I, Sandstar, leader of Riverclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice," He looked at the midday sun in the sky, "She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn." He set his gaze on the apprentice, Runpaw.

"Runpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Runpaw looked very excited as she answered, " I do."

"Then by the powers of Starclan I give you your warrior name. Runpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Runheart. Starclan honors your stealth and bravery, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Riverclan."

The warriors chanted Runheart as Sandstar rested his muzzle on her head as she licked his shoulder.

The kits took this all in slowly through shining eyes. "I am going to be the best warrior ever!" Goldenkit exclaimed. Skykit, of course, argued and knocked Goldenkit over starting yet another play battle. Lightningkit refrained from this, however, thinking about what his own warrior ceremony would be like. He imagined everyone screaming his new name, the sense of excitement in the air. It would be the best day of his life.

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><p>The kits were soon rounded up for swimming lessons. In Riverclan, kits learned to swim at a very early age. It helped them with tasks they had to learn when they are apprentices. Sandstar himself taught these lessons himself.<p>

At this stage, only Skykit could actually stay in the water. The rest of the kits heads bobbed under the surface after 10 seconds.

"Lightningkit, you have to paddle the _whole _time. Shorekit, stop holding on to Skykit, you're dragging her down. Skykit, great job!" Sandstar gave advice to the kits as the floundered in the water. Their mothers, swimming strongly, watched over them in the water acting as lifeguards. Lightningkit tried to copy his leader's movements but failed miserably. He looked enviously at his sister before his head went under again. A warrior with a thick gray coat who was watching suddenly dived majestically and landed without a splash next to him. By his look, he was about 29 moons old. He looked at Lightningkit with a knowing look .

"I did the same thing when I was kit. You're not kicking your back paws hard enough. See, you have to kick off more." He said in a friendly tone. He then showed Lightningkit a demonstration, pedaling his paws faster than Lightningkit. Lightningkit tried this and found himself easily swimming. He swam toward Skykit and stuck his tongue out at her. Lightningkit than swam back to the warrior and asked him for his name.

"Ripfur." He said, winking a green eye. He then jumped onto the shore. Lightningkit looked at Ripfur until he vanished from sight.

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><p>When they returned to the nursery their pelts were soaking wet and they shivered from the cold air. As they neared the nursery entrance, they saw a commotion. Cats were coming and leaving hurriedly and loud screams cold be heard from inside. Thymepaw came out and saw them heading back.<p>

"Moss has been arranged in the elders den for you. Pearheart is giving birth at the moment and it would be best if you kept out of the way."

For the next hour and a half the mothers had to explain what kitbirth was like to the kits, who seemed to have an endless supply of questions. They were annoyed to the point of exhaustion when Thymepaw said they could go back to the nursery.

"You don't want to bother the kits." she said in her usual singsong voice.

"What about Pearheart?" Streamfur asked, her expression worried. "She was screaming awfully loud." Thymepaw whispered into Streamfur's ear quickly, but Lightningkit could swear he heard 'dead' and 'milk'. Streamfur seemed lightheaded afterwards. Thymepaw then led them into the nursery where the new kits were nestled in moss.

Thymepaw quickly mewed "His name is Razorkit and her name is Aurorakit. Now I recommend you get to sleep."

Streamfur lay down next to the new kits on the piece of moss. His siblings and quickly nestled close to the new kits. Lightningkit stayed up as long as he could, looking at the new kits.

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><p>Review please!<p> 


	2. River Warriors

**A/N**: **Okay, these are the Allegiances. Now, these are the allegiances from Lightningkit's perspective! Obviously, he does not know every cat, but he has an opinion on the cats he does know. So, here it is!**

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><p>Allegiances:<p>

**Riverclan:**

Leader: Sandstar: Tan tom with white streaks (6 lives) _Mate: Pearheart (Deceased)_

Deputy: Shellheart: Orange She-cat (Envious)

Medicine Cat: Ottertail: Brown tom with lighter flecks (Secretive)

Medicine Cat Apprentice: Thymepaw: Light Brown she-cat (Loves kits)

Warrior: (Senior to young warriors):

Wavestorm: Gray, thick furred tom (Trustworthy) _Mate: Streamfur_

Weedtail: Light brown tom with long tail (_Very _old. Refuses to be an Elder.) Apprentice: Marshpaw _Mate: Twirlfur_

Scalepelt: Tortoiseshell She-cat (Eccentric)

Reedwater: Cream- Colored She-cat (Annoying) Apprentice: Honeypaw

Bubbleear: Light Gray She-cat (Stupid) _Mate: Fintail_

Fintail: Silver Tom (Creeeeepyyyyyy) Apprentice: Lightpaw _Mate: Bubbleear_

Ripfur: Gray, thick furred tom (Awesome)

Cougarfang: Russet tom (Friendly) Apprentice: Darkpaw _Mate: Aquatail_

Runheart: Light orange She-cat (Ambitious)

Apprentices: (Same as warriors):

Darkpaw: Black tom with white paws, chest and tail (Awesome)

Marshpaw: White tom with lots of brown splotches (Jerk)

Lightpaw: White she-cat with golden ears, muzzle, tail and paws. (Awesome)

Honeypaw: Golden She-cat (Pretty)

Queens:

Streamfur: Light Gray She-cat (Awesome) Kits: Goldenkit, Skykit and Lightningkit (5 moons) Adoptive kits: Razorkit (Cool) Aurorakit (Awesome) (2 moons)

Aquatail: Orange She-cat (Listener) Kits: Shorekit (Awesome) Yellowkit (Actress) (5 moons)

Elders:

Braveheart: Scarred white tom (Cool)

Twirlfur: Tortoiseshell She-cat (Naggy) _Mate: Weedtail_

**Thunderclan**

Leader: Stormstar: Gray tom (4 lives)

Deputy: Woodleaf: Brown tom

Medicine Cat: Nettlepatch: Cream colored She-cat

**Windclan**

Leader: Breezestar: Russet She-cat (1 life)

Deputy: Swiftfoot: Black tom

Medicine cat: Lakerose: Light gray She-cat

**Shadowclan**

Leader: Shadestar- Gray and black tom (9 lives)

Deputy: Pinestorm: Brown tom

Medicine cat: Quailfeather: Orange She-cat

**A/N: On with the story!**

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><p>Lightningkit raised his head and looked across the nursery at the other kits. A battle royale had started that very morning over a disagreement between them. Their mothers had quickly evacuated by going hunting and the kits had turned the nursery into a battlefield. Goldenkit, leader of the enemy side, quickly glanced at their group of cats and then turned back to his own group. Lightningkit narrowed his eyes. He turned to his warriors and looked at them in turn.<p>

Shorekit. The tan tom looked back at him steadily. He had quickly become Lightningkit's best friend over the past two moons. He and Lightningkit had many of the same interests. Also, they both had an _issue_ with Goldenkit's personality.

Aurorakit. The white and orange she-kit looked across the way at Razorkit with disbelief in her gray eyes. For a 2 moon old kit, she was surprisingly smart. She knew more than he'd known and was great at play fighting. Razorkit, her brother, had joined Goldenkit's side after the first battle. The fight had been started over who was the better leader, Lightningkit or Goldenkit. Razorkit thought that Lightningkit was better but Goldenkit had the better army. Aurorakit had been quick to disagree and in the end they had gone their separate ways.

Lightpaw. The green eyes that shone through the golden mask that was her face were anxiously glancing from him to the entrance and back again. From what he understood, she hid in here when her mentor's mate was withholding….._something._ He apparently was a perv, Lightpaw said, even though she knew the kits didn't know what she was saying. However much she had changed, she was still the Lightkit they remembered. She was 3 moons older than them but she still visited them daily. She had walked in to see the fight and immediately joined his side.

Goldenkit seemed to have decided that the waiting period had gone on too long and had turned around. "Attack!" He yowled, charging at Lightningkit, eyes wild. Lightningkit quickly fell backward and kicked up with his hind legs, sending Goldenkit flying backwards towards the wall behind him. Lightningkit felt a rush of affection Lightpaw, whom he had begged to teach him some fighting moves.

He quickly surveyed the scene in front of him while Goldenkit was down. Shorekit seemed to be talking calmly to Skykit, his tail wrapped around his paws. Lightningkit sighed. He knew Shorekit had a crush on her, but did he have to be so obvious about it? Aurorakit had Razorkit on the ground and was slapping him in the face with her tiny paws. The little she-kit was _very_ violent, Lightningkit had noted. Lightpaw was trying to get Yellowkit off her back by rolling over on her. She was about the same size as her, though, so this was unsuccessful.

Lightningkit turned back to Goldenkit, who was covered in thorns and hissing angrily. Lightningkit pounced on his brother quickly, landing on his back. Goldenkit hissed, flipping his brother off his back and straight into Shorekit, who gave a yowl of surprise as they both flew back into the wall. Skykit and Goldenkit quickly padded over as they recovered. Skykit batted at Lightningkit's ears as Goldenkit picked Shorekit up by the scruff and threw him into the a-LOT smaller Aurorakit, sending them both off into a wall. The freed Razorkit quickly jumped up and started to run over to where Goldenkit and Skykit were when Yellowkit flew almost comically by his ear.

Lightpaw, as an apprentice, easily charged through the enemy, sending them flying back as Lightningkit got up. They faced the charging kits side by side, throwing out paws and hitting anywhere they could. Lightpaw rolled over his back to his other side, causing Yellowkit to paw at air (she had jumped at her) as she hit the ground. Lightningkit growled as he jumped out at Goldenkit, rolling backwards in a ball of fur. Shorekit and Aurorakit finally recovered and aided Lightpaw against the three kit assault.

Finally, Streamfur and Aquatail walked in to find moss everywhere, water soaking the bush that was the nursery and Lightpaw and the kits fighting. "Did I not say this would happen?" Aquatail nodded as she dropped the prey she had brought for the kits on the ground. Immediately the kits (and Lightpaw) called a truce and bumrushed Aquatail. Razorkit and Aurorakit nursed as the rest of them the bit into the prey ravenously, Lightpaw included. Streamfur quickly asked Lightpaw why she was there and when given the answer looked disturbed.

"This is a joke, right?" Aquatail, who rarely spoke, looked at Lightpaw in horror as she shook her head in between bites of her fish.

"He gets like this when Bubbleear smartens up and realizes she shouldn't be with him. Then she goes back to him because no one likes her. It happens every 2 weeks. Don't worry; I've been through it before. I just stay away from him."

"You're missing training, you need-"Streamfur was a cut off as a seductive purr came from outside the nursery.

"Lightpaw, you need to get out here, we need to go out to the forest for some _training."_ Lightningkit had a feeling that if he found her no sort of _training _would be going on. Lightpaw looked at Streamfur in unmasked horror. Streamfur gestured wildly to a hole in the nursery that hadn't yet been fixed. Lightpaw dove through the hole just as Fintail entered the den. "Have you seen Lightpaw?" He asked, his voice the same creepy purr.

"No, we haven't." Streamfur said quickly. Lightningkit bet she didn't like his new, creepy voice either.

"Ok. I can't find that apprentice anywhere!" His voice was now at the normal pitch, which seemed to creep Streamfur out even more. He turned to leave just as she said something.

"I hope you and Bubbleear stop fighting soon." He looked at her in surprise as he left. Lightpaw, listening in to the conversation, dove back in quickly. She looked gratefully at Streamfur, relief coming over her features.

"Thank you! He was speaking in that creepy voice, that's when he'll hit on anything that doesn't have a mate." Lightpaw looked at her unfinished fish with disgust. Lightningkit looked at her in amusement as she slowly sank to the ground, looking disturbed.

Sandstar appeared to take them swimming a little after noon. Lightpaw had begged to help them and Sandstar, Fintail being his littermate, knew what mood he was in and had agreed. The kits all could swim by now and had learned to look forward to swimming lessons. Lightningkit swam strongly as Sandstar talked to them.

"Today, kits, we'll be having a race. Since you'll be becoming apprentices soon, cats that have expressed interest in becoming your mentors will be watching to see how much you need to learn. "He paused as a group of cats (Ripfur, Bubbleear, Shellheart, Wavestorm, Scalepelt) approached. " I, myself, may be a mentor to one of you. Now, keeping this in mind, you will be swimming from here to there." He flicked his tail to a spot further down the river bank where their mothers were. "Now, if you have problems, Lightpaw will be acting as a lifeguard."

The white and gold she-cat nodded solemnly next to them in water. Lightningkit had never seen her as serious as she did when looked at each of them in turn.

Sandstar gave an okay signal with his tail as he started to count. "3….2….1…." Lightningkit put his back paws on the bank behind him. "Go!" Lightningkit pushed off with all his strength. Skykit, having the same idea, was quickly swimming in front of him, a much better swimmer. Risking a look behind him, he saw Shorekit and Goldenkit battling for 3rd and Yellowkit, who was a long ways off, clinging to the bank. He could see their mothers getting closer and closer as the warriors made comments.

**Ripfur Vision**

"Skykit already is a really strong swimmer." Shellheart mewed thoughtfully. Of course she would go after the one she deemed the 'best'.

"Lightningkit's really good, too." I had already called dibs on him by teaching him several things over the past two moons.

Wavestorm looked at me and Shellheart wearily. He was the father of the Lightningkit, Skykit and Goldenkit anyway; he would be looking out for them. "Yellowkit's going kind of slow." As soon as he mewed this, a yowl split through the air that made all the kits in the water freeze and turn around.

"COME ON YELLOWKIT! YOU GOT THIS! RIVERCLAN FISH, RIVERCLAN SWIM, RIVERCLAN WARRIORS USE WATER TO WIN! Lightpaw shouted words of encouragement as Yellowkit picked up speed. I didn't know if it was from encouragement itself, embarrassment or the force of Lightpaw's yowl causing waves to propel her forward, but soon she was on Goldenkit's and Shorekit's tails.

"I know who I want as an apprentice!" Sandstar said jokingly.

"I wish she didn't have mentor already." Scalepelt mewed, actually disappointed. I readied myself for an awkward silence when Lightpaw pulled off an excellent save.

"PLEASE GIVE ME A NEW MENTOR, SANDSTAR! ANYONE BUT FINTAIL!"

By launching us into an angry rant by Bubbleear. Thank you, Lightpaw, _thank you._

"I don't know what she's talking about, the little b***h is always coming onto him." Bubbleear was very…_special_ for not knowing what her mate was like without…something.

Lightpaw responded to this by making a very rude gesture with her tail. **(A/N: It's like the middle finger!)** Every warrior on the bank laughed while Bubbleear fumed. I looked at Sandstar and made a point of saying what was on my mind.

"Next time, give Fintail a tom to mentor. And make sure it's an ugly one, too, just in case he gets desperate." A new round of laughter broke out on the bank while Bubbleear fumed harder.

"Skykit's finished!" Shellheart mewed, her eyes on the race. Soon it was all over with shivering kits on the bank with their mothers, Wavestorm's tail twined with Streamfur's as he congratulated his kits. Lightningkit looked mischievously at me as I nodded, welcoming my soon-to-be apprentice.

**Non-Ripfur vision**

Lightningkit looked at the sunset as they padded slowly to camp. He was still soaking wet and pressed his pelt to Skykit and Goldenkit, seeking warmth. His littermates, understanding, pressed closer to him too.

Soon they were enveloped in the warmth of their moss in the Nursery, where Skykit had finally started bragging like a normal kit.

"I kicked all of your tails! Now every warrior will want me as their apprentice!" Skykit stuck her tongue out at them all.

"I was this close to passing you so I'm just as desirable." Lightningkit mewed as he discreetly cuffed Shorekit on the head for looking at his sister in a weird way.

Skykit huffed and turned her back on him as haughtily as she could. Lightningkit almost took the challenge to jump on her but walked away, forcibly taking Shorekit with him. He went outside the nursery and to where Lightpaw and Aurorakit were presiding. He looked at Aurorakit in surprise.

"When did you leave the nursery?" Lightningkit laid down and a reluctant Shorekit laid beside him.

"You guys were taking too long, so I've been out here, touring the camp." Shorekit immediately looked at her enviously. Streamfur never let them leave the nursery, _ever_. He wasn't even her kit and yet she still bossed him around.

"That's so unfair! We're almost apprentices and we haven't toured camp!" The tan tom looked so angry Lightningkit was surprised he wasn't covered in his guts by now.

"Well then, let's go!" Lightpaw got up enthusiastically and started padding away before they could say anything. Lightningkit got up and walked with Aurorakit after Lightpaw leaving Shorekit staring behind them. With a groan he got up and followed.

Lightpaw lead them to the center of camp. She took them left to a thicket of bushes was. The steam that surrounded the Riverclan camp was right next to it.

"This is the Apprentice Den. You'll be living here soon, so I'd get used to it." A white and brown tom walked out of the den. He looked angrily at them.

"What are you doing with those kits? Are you leading them to your perv mentor so he won't get you?" He laughed at his own joke while Lightpaw remained stoic. Lightningkit opened his mouth to say something but Aurorakit beat him to the punch.

"At least her mentor isn't old enough to have been Riverstar's grandfather's best friend." Shorekit quickly jumped in with his own joke.

"Yeah, and isn't his mate his fourth? How much younger is she, 15 moons and she's the oldest elder in the clan?" Lightningkit knew it was up to him to deliver the killing blow.

"Does his hips break every time you go out to train or is it an every other week thing?" Marshpaw looked in open mouthed shock at the kits, who gazed steadily back at him.

"Bye, Marshpaw." Lightpaw mewed as she guided the kits to another part of camp, where she burst into giggles. Aurorakit quickly asked the question that was on all their minds.

"Who is that jerk?" Aurorakit looked pleased with herself as Lightpaw answered.

"My crazy cat of a brother. Lightningkit and Shorekit probably remember him." Lightpaw started padding to another thicket of bushes as they asked questions.

"What happened to him? How did he get all jerky?' Shorekit asked, unconsciously bristling his pelt.

"Weedtail, I guess. He used to be nicer." She stopped and turned around. "This is the warriors den." Her golden tail gestured to the thicket just as Reedwater came out.

"Oh, look at the cute kits!" She then proceeded to curl her tail around Lightningkit and pat his head with her paw. Lightningkit tried unsuccessfully to wriggle out of her grasp when a pretty golden she-cat came to his rescue.

"Um, Reedwater, shouldn't we be hunting right now?" She looked awkward as she discreetly winked at Lightningkit. Her mentor, sensing her apprentices _need_ _to go hunting_, let go of Lightningkit, who immediately jumped to a safe distance away.

"Fine. Let's go." Reedwater got up and padded towards Riverclan territory, her apprentice following after she brushed her tail over Lightningkit's shoulder. Lightpaw, not seeing this, continued with their tour.

"That was Honeypaw," Lightningkit felt himself flush. "And her mentor Reedwater. Now, if you will follow me, I will lead you to the leader's den."

Lightpaw lead them to a cave about 3 meters from the center of camp, where Sandstar welcomed them. "Hey, Lightpaw, I think I may be able to get you a new mentor." He noticed the kits for the first time. "Oh, hi, kits! Lightningkit, Shorekit, you're becoming apprentices tomorrow, right?" Lightningkit and Shorekit nodded excitedly. "Great! You guys will have some great mentors." Lightpaw quickly jumped in with her own statement.

"Unlike mine." She looked at Sandstar happily as he looked her way with a glare. She flicked her tail for him to go on.

"Aurorakit, you're getting stronger!" He looked at his daughter with pride as the tips of her ears went red. "You'll be an apprentice in no time." Lightpaw decided to bump in again.

"Um, Sandstar, I was giving them a tour and their mothers will be expecting them back soon and I haven't shown them the Elder's den."

"Okay. See you at the ceremony tomorrow, kits!" Lightpaw quickly lead them away as Shorekit complained.

"We've already been to the elder's den a million times before!" Shorekit looked back to the leader's den mournfully.

"I know that. I just thought that we could have some extra time together before the mothers come and take you away." Lightpaw looked suspiciously desperate as Lightningkit spoke up.

"Why do you spend so much time with us kits? You have friends that are apprentices, right?" Lightpaw sighed.

"I have other friends! Darkpaw and…..and….. I have friends!" The kits looked at her with wide, disbelieving eyes. Aurorakit seemed to be thinking differently than the others, because she asked a question that was not on their minds at all.

"Who's Darkpaw?" Lightpaw stared at her for a second before becoming her normal enthusiastic self again.

"Oh, Aurorakit, you haven't met him yet. Lightningkit and Shorekit, you remember him, right? He's barely older than me. Come on, we should go see him." Lightpaw padded away yet again before they could question her about her lack of friends.

She led them back to the apprentice den, going inside this time. A black tom with white features was curled up in a nest in the far left of the den. Lightpaw rushed to the tom and poked him hard in the stomach. Darkpaw opened one dark blue eye lazily. "Lightpaw, I do not want to help you trap Fintail in a-"

"Shh!" Lightpaw quickly shoved her tail in to his mouth. "Darkpaw, I wanted to introduce you to Aurorakit and renew your friendship with Lightningkit and Shorekit." Lightpaw then removed her tail from his mouth. Darkpaw looked disgusted.

"Where have you been keeping your tail? Anyway, hi Aurorakit, I'm obviously Darkpaw." Aurorakit opened her mouth to say something. "Her mom asked my mom what she should name Lightpaw and since she had named me Darkkit and my pelt coloring is almost the exact opposite of hers, she suggested Lightkit and the name stuck." He glared at Aurorakit as her mouth shut.

Lightningkit glanced at the dark pelted tom. He remembered him now; he hadn't played much, kept to himself. Darkpaw swiveled his gaze back to Shorekit and Lightningkit. Memory flashed in his dark blue eyes as he spoke again. "Lightningkit, Shorekit! I remember you! Sorry, I would've visited you guys, it's just that I don't spend all day hiding from my mentor." He briefly glared at Lightpaw. "You guys will be apprentices soon, though, so we'll be able to be…friends." He said the word unsurely; the first sign of emotion clouding his features since they had first came into the den. Lightningkit got the feeling that Lightpaw and Darkpaw weren't the most popular apprentices in Riverclan.

Aurorakit, thankfully, spoke quickly. "We should do something more….exciting then the boring meet-and-greet we're doing now before the mothers come and collect us."

Lightpaw's eyes lit up mischievously. "Well, we could always trap Fintail in a cave until tomorrow after you guys have your apprentice ceremony." Darkpaw was the only one who wasn't surprised; he obviously had heard this plan before. "Come on! Sandstar is going to give me a new mentor tomorrow and I don't want to deal with him."

"What's the plan?" Lightningkit said quietly. Aurorakit and Shorekit looked at him in shock; Lightpaw looked excited; Darkpaw looked bored. Quickly Lightpaw huddled the reluctant cats together.

**Fintail Vision**

I stuck my head into the abandoned rabbit warren. One time I had found Lightpaw here, hiding from me. She was progressively getting better and better at hiding from me when I wanted her. The very thought almost drove me to a purr. Me catching her, her squirming under me, grinding against me… (**A/N: It hurts my brain!)**

A sound broke through my thoughts. I looked ahead to see a shimmer of white and gold racing in front of me to the forest beyond. I quickly started to run to get the sneaky apprentice.

"Lightpaw, wait! We need to _get started_ with your _special training!" _I used my sexy voice, which is really hard to yowl across a long way. I heard a muffled cry of _Screw you!_ from up ahead and laughed. "Lightpaw, my dear, that's all I want you to do!" I caught up with her and dived.

**Non-Fintail vision**

Lightningkit looked in despair as Fintail pinned Lightpaw down just 5 meters away from the cave entrance. The plan was simple. Lightningkit was on top of the cave with a rock the size of an adult cats head. Lightpaw baited Fintail and ran all the way into the cave. Shorekit and Aurorakit used a vine to trip Fintail and Lightningkit dropped the rock onto his head. Then Darkpaw dragged him into the cave and rolled the huge rock in front of the cave. Then it was Mission Accomplished.

He decided that he needed to help her when Fintail positioned himself on top of her in a weird way. He was just about to jump down when a furious yowl broke through the air. Darkpaw sprinted towards Fintail and Lightpaw with obvious haste. Lightningkit settled down into a sitting position again. Maybe the plan wasn't ruined.

**Darkpaw Vision**

I let out a battle cry as Fintail positioned himself on top of Lightpaw. He better not do anything to her, the perv. I dived as soon as I was close enough. My paws (claws unsheathed) hit Fintail just as Lightpaw let out a cry for help. Fintail was launched 3 meters away into a patch of brambles as Lightpaw shakily got up. I brushed my pelt against hers when her shock became apparent.

"Lightpaw, are you…. Did he….. Lightpaw, did he _violate you?_" I looked into her green eyes just as they flashed.

"No, he did not. You will still be the first to… you know." I almost moved my body away from hers as I looked at her in shock. I _did not_ like her. At all. At least, not like that. She gave me a look that said _Just go with it!_ as Fintail's voice came through the brambles.

"Of course. Two apprentices in love. That's why Lightpaw spurs my advances." I threw up in my mouth. I quickly turned around in turn with Lightpaw (who I'm sure had retched too) and sprinted toward the cave with Fintail on our tails. We reached the cave quickly and turned around to find a knocked out Fintail. I dragged his unconscious body into the cave where we had put a pile of fish in. Finally we were outside of the depressing cave with the rock rolled in front of it. He would have plenty of air but there was no way he could get out.

**Non-Darkpaw Vision**

They walked back to camp slowly. The sun had fully set while they were gone and it was nighttime. The kits were certainly in trouble and Lightningkit wanted to put off punishment as long as he could. He could feel Shorekit's excitement still. "That was awesome! We easily trapped a warrior!"

"We work well together." Darkpaw, though not jumping around like the rest of them, was excited.

"Yeah! We need to stick together! Look what we can do and you guys aren't even apprentices!" Lightpaw's eyes were shining. "We should call ourselves something. How about the fantastic five?"

Aurorakit shook her head. "How about just The Five?"

Lightningkit spoke up. "No. I say we call ourselves the River Warriors." Shorekit spoke up first.

"That sounds….. good." Lightpaw and Darkpaw nodded in agreement while Aurorakit put her tail in the middle of their group (**A/N: They're in a circle) **Slowly the rest of the group didthe same, twining their tails together.

"Here's to being….friends." Darkpaw spoke this last part confidently as the rest of the group nodded. Lightningkit smiled as they made a silent pact to stay together for as long as they could.

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><p><strong>AN: Review please!**


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